From sleek, office-ready button-downs to red-carpet-worthy gowns, these are the new-season dresses to add to your wish list.
dress is the quintessential investment piece – a closet icon that designers are constantly reinventing to create fresh and timeless iterations for every new season. Whether it’s a figure-skimming, lingerie-inspired mini dress for a romantic dinner date, or a bohemian-inspired maxi dress for your summer vacation, the appeal of the dress is everlasting. For every style, and for every occasion, there is always a dress to suit your sartorial requirements. So, as the weather warms up and we dive into SS24’s latest collections, here’s our roundup of the key styles to wear this season, and beyond.
1
9 to 5
When it comes to your workday closet, dresses are an effortless addition. The sleekest styles demand very little in the way of accessorizing – think loafers or kitten-heel pumps. Shirt dresses are the perfect silhouette to wear on repeat – see Gabriela Hearst’s button-down version from the Spring ’24 runway, immaculately cut with an exaggerated pointy collar and pleated skirt, or Altuzarra’s elegant ‘Lydia’ style, which is reimagined with shibori-inspired stripes and exclusive to NET-A-PORTER. Alternatively, Dries Van Noten’s belted midi dress combines utilitarian elements with a polished, timeless elegance and will segue neatly into eveningwear with a few accessory swaps. Elsewhere, Beare Park makes a convincing case for the LBD as the perfect business solution – just add an XL tote or a burgundy shoulder bag to complete the look.
GABRIELA HEARST
Durand belted pleated linen dress
ALTUZARRA
Lydia belted off-the-shoulder striped cotton-blend poplin midi dress
DRIES VAN NOTEN
Belted cotton-poplin midi dress
BEARE PARK
Wool-crepe maxi dress
2
Off-duty
In warmer weather, a dress delivers instant downtime style. This season’s favorite off-duty picks have low-key appeal; think simple tank dresses and versatile midi silhouettes – the perfect styles to pair with sneakers, loafers or ballet flats. Dôen excels at effortlessly elegant designs that draw on a charming nostalgia for coastal California. Its shirred ‘Emmaretta’ dress is cut from weightless organic cotton-voile printed with sunny yellow florals, which will pair perfectly with brown cross-body bags in the city and a Jane Birkin-style basket bag on vacation. Elsewhere, tap into the season’s preppy trend with Loewe’s airbrushed-effect dress, which takes inspiration from classic polos, or Marni’s cricket-style midi – make the cornflower-blue shade pop with vibrant orange accessories.
DÓEN
Emmaretta tie-detailed shirred floral-print organic cotton-voile midi dress
LOEWE
Ombré cotton-blend piqué polo midi dress
KHAITE
Ottilie ribbed cotton-blend midi dress
MARNI
Ribbed-knit midi dress
3
The big event
For weddings, garden parties and formal affairs, high-octane is the order of the day, with designers embracing the head-turning possibilities the dress has to offer. For a show-stopping entrance, Erdem’s striking red gown – decorated with insect-shaped embellishments – is the perfect choice. If it’s instant impact you’re after, seek out a single shade, like Taller Marmo’s glamorous ‘Ubud Extravaganza’ midi in sumptuous caramel, which is traced with shimmying pink feathers and is exclusive to NET-A-PORTER. Elsewhere, Tove offers the ultimate event gown with this stunning ‘Caroline’ style in figure-skimming hammered-silk. But remember: you need the perfect accessory to finish off the perfect dress, and this season’s hero cuff is just the thing.
ERDEM
Embellished cotton-faille gown
TALLER MARMO
Ubud Extravaganza feather-trimmedcrepe maxi dress
TOVE
Caroline one-shoulder hammered-silkmaxi dress
ABADIA
Suri paneled twill and crinkled-voilemaxi dress
4
Vacation pieces
Dresses needs to offer versatility to earn their space in your suitcase – think easy cotton styles or floating maxis that drift effortlessly from beach to bar, and designs that double as cover-ups. Labels that specialize in resortwear should be your first port of call: NET SUSTAIN brand Matteau’s one-shoulder style is locally made in Australia using considered materials, while Miguelina’s guipure lace maxi will look stunning in beach-front photographs at sunset. Of course, no vacation lineup is complete without a little white dress. Wear Marant Étoile’s ‘Sabba’ broderie anglaise midi with a floppy hat and sandals for lunch by the sea or trips to the farmers’ market. New to NET-A-PORTER, Thierry Colson’s ‘Venetia’ dress is printed with bold stripes and comes in a breezy A-line shape.
MATTEAU
+NET SUSTAlN one-shoulder organiccotton and silk-blend midi dress
MIGUELINA
Meena open-back two-tone guipurelace halterneck dress
MARANT ÉTOILE
Sabba broderie anglaise cotton-voilemaxi dress
THIERRYCOLSON
Venetia pleated striped cotton-poplinmidi dress
AGUA BY AGUA BENDITAA
guamarina Platero floral-print linen maxi dress
ZIMMERMANN
Tranquility open-back floral-print linenand silk-blend voile mini dress
BERNADETTE
Odette strapless gingham taffeta mididress
5
Evening elegance
Come evening, this season is a tale of two shades: red or black – both look sleek for sundowner soirées and pack a punch at after-dark events. Follow Hailey Bieber’s lead in a body-hugging strapless dress, like Dolce&Gabbana’s cherry-print mini or Saint Laurent’s bow-tipped style, adding a pair of cat-eye frames and tonal heels. For something with a little sparkle, 16Arlington’s buttercup-yellow ‘Sior’ dress is covered in sequins that’ll catch the light as you dance.
DOLCE&GABBANA
Strapless ruched printed stretch-tullemini dress
SAINT LAURENT
Strapless satin mini dress
16ARLINGTON
Sior sequined tulle mini dress
SIMKHAI
Gwynn corded lace-trimmed satin maxidress
